The right lawyer can be key in getting the best outcome for your accident claim. If you’ve been injured in an accident, you might be wondering how a Personal Injury attorney can assist you.
In any personal injury case, your lawyer will initiate a line of communication with the insurance adjuster for the other or responsible party (or parties) involved. The adjuster has the purse, and so it is critical for a plaintiff’s lawyer to have good communications and a good relationship with the adjuster.
If you question whether you were injured in an accident, be aware that whiplash is one of the most common injuries after a car accident. This soft-tissue neck or back injury is the result of a person’s head being violently jolted backward and forward. This can happen in less than a second in an accident, and there is no way to stop it. Whiplash is very common in front-end and rear-end collisions but can happen in any type of car accident. It can occur in high-speed or low-speed accidents and with a small amount of force. Personal injury can run the gamut from minor to severe, but all incidents of whiplash need to be treated. It may take days or weeks for symptoms to arise, so it is essential to be vigilant after an accident, even after a minor fender-bender.
What are the benefits of hiring a Personal Injury (PI) Attorney for your Accident Claim? Accident victims who are not represented by an experienced lawyer may be left vulnerable to the willful actions of insurance companies, which may try to reduce the amount they pay out.
You may sustain serious injuries from an accident, including but not limited to, disfigurement, permanent disability, and brain injury. You may need to repair or replace your vehicle as well.
If you were injured in an accident in Florida, you are entitled to compensation as a victim of the accident. An accident or Persona Injury attorney can aid you in navigating the claims process. A personal injury lawyer can help you get the best potential outcome for your particular case.
A lawyer representing you can gather evidence such as:
- Photos of the accident scene;
- Photos of the vehicle or property damaged and/or injuries sustained;
- Police or Incident reports;
- Statements by eyewitness;
- Information from the vehicle’s event recorder;
- Documents for medical and work purposes;
- Electronic evidence includes cell phone records;
- Recall information and manufacturer records, among others.
An attorney can help you gather this information and consult with other experts to build a strong case to get a settlement from insurance companies, both pre-suit and after a lawsuit is filed with the court.
Accident victims may not know their rights after an accident, and insurance companies might try to exploit this misinformation or ignorance to their advantage. They may attempt to convince you to admit fault, or to establish negligence on your part in order to minimize or dismiss your claim.
An attorney can inform victims about their rights and help them deal with adjusters without admitting guilt or saying anything that could be interpreted as incriminating.
An attorney can strengthen your case, negotiate a better result for most cases and even level the playing field against insurance companies acting in bad faith.
As already stated, hiring an attorney is crucial to getting the compensation for which you are entitled. A personal injury attorney can help you prove fault in an accident and protect you from the insurance companies.
Although any attorney in your state may be licensed to represent you in a case involving an accident, they won’t have the experience or skills necessary to properly prosecute your claim. A personal injury lawyer who is familiar with your case will be better able to help you. Personal injury lawyers are experts in handling these types of cases and can help you understand the details of your case. They can also best calculate the fair and reasonable compensation deserved in each case.
It is best to contact an accident lawyer as soon after an accident as possible, since the evidence may vanish shortly after an accident. As time passes, it is more difficult to collect the evidence and locate favorable witnesses needed to support a strong case.
There are also deadlines, notice requirements and/or statutes of limitations after which you may not sue the other responsible party or even apply for benefits from your own insurance, if applicable, if you wait too long. The statute of limitations in Florida for most negligence cases can be from 2 to 4 years from the date of accident or incident, depending on the type of case and the status of the one potentially liable for the said accident or incident.
Personal injuries that result from an accident may not manifest until days or weeks later. You may need to receive treatment for many years after an accident. These circumstances could make it very expensive if you don’t take advantage of legal assistance while you still have the opportunity.
Your time frame may be shorter if there is a wrongful-death claim. To bring a wrongful-death claim before the court, there is a two (2) year statute of limitations or deadline, with various potential exclusions and exceptions that could bar your claim earlier.
Personal injury lawyers usually work on a contingency fee basis. This basis means that they don’t get paid unless or until you recover compensation for your claims. If you’re looking to hire a lawyer for an accident, they will talk with you about their contingency fee arrangement and what they charge if they win your case plus costs.
These contingency fees typically range from 33 1/3% to 40%, however, each case is different. Costs or expenses will also be incurred. Expenses may include investigation costs, travel expenses, expert witness fees, costs for medical records and reports, court filing fees, service of process, court reporter fees for transcripts and depositions, among others.
You should search for a Personal Injury attorney who has a track record of representing accident victims when you are trying to choose an attorney. Avoid attorneys who try to take on more clients in an effort to expedite the process and settle quickly, to maximize their profits, without fully investigating your case. If the attorney is focused on too many clients, said attorney might not be able to get you a fair compensation in the settlement of your claim.
Statistically, the majority of accident cases are settled by the parties and do not go to trial. Make certain the attorney you choose is experienced in handling personal injury cases. You can request credentials and the background of the attorney, check reviews or testimonials on-line or from word-of-mouth recommendations.
If you have any additional QUESTIONS regarding the foregoing matters, please contact or call the Attorneys at CASERTA & SPIRITI before, and especially shortly after, an unfortunate and unexpected accident occurs.